We Made a Song

We Made a Song takes you on the journey of how a fictional band, The Beaks, create a song from scratch. Through this journey the reader learns how songs work, what instruments are used and where inspiration comes from – and that’s just the start. 

Once the song is ready the reader goes with the band to the manager’s office, then to the producer’s recording studio and sees what the process of creating the finished song is like. We meet several different job roles along the way, from mixing engineers to instrument technicians and session musicians, all of which tell us through a little speech bubble what their role is.

We then follow the band and their new song as it’s promoted, the artwork created and promotional events like the tour and TV appearances are organised. The message throughout is of a ‘it takes a village’ approach to music, showcasing the different elements and roles that need to work together for a song, and its band, to become a success. 

The book closes with a top tips on writing your own song, a glossary and a Q&A section with Eric Krasno, a ‘two-time Grammy award winning guitarist, musician and producer’ who talks about some of the burning questions the reader may have, such as ‘do you have to be really good at singing or playing a musical instrument to work in music’ and ‘what advice would you give someone who loves music and dreams of working in it one day?’. I really enjoyed that the focus is on teamwork and the wider music industry- not just about those in the band who are the face of a song. 

It’s a fascinating look at the music industry for anyone who loves music or longs to be a part of the industry themselves. It’s vibrant and eye-catching and the picture-book-esque feel makes it a little different from your usual music related book for young people.